


Maker Take Me to Your Side

by bunchesofcats



Series: Ancheronta Movebo (i will raise hell) [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Canon Divergence, Don't say I didn't warn you, F/F, F/M, I have far too many ideas in my head, I literally just wrote this because hey, M/M, MGiT, Multi, Slow Burn, all the characters ever, also like every canon relationship in the game, and its a trash self insert fic too, can I get a let's go?, hawke twins au, maybe if I write down all my maladaptive daydreams, mentally ill inquisitor, plus it was just really fun for me, references to past abuse, there weren't enough tags for this, they just might stop being so intrusive, yes its another modern girl in thedas fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-05-14 01:31:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14760035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunchesofcats/pseuds/bunchesofcats
Summary: Trying to mend a broken life was hard. But ending up in a fantasy game world where I had knowledge of each character and only a basic knowledge of medieval life? Fuck me if that wasn't even harder. This was a game that I had spent countless hours and days and months dreaming - and daydreaming - about. And now I was stuck in it. Nothing to do now but go along with the adventure I suppose.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I will try to update this fic once a week if life allows. I am already about 6 chapters in, and it was a long debate with myself to even post it now. If life gets too crazy I might extend chapter posting to every 2 weeks, so I can keep ahead with the story and maybe even get an idea of how long the first book will be. Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride, and here's to all the other MGiT fics out there that I love to read so much, and that gave me the confidence to post this one.

The air was lovely. Cool on an otherwise warm day, it kept the heat at bay as I hiked further into the mountains that had been my refuge these last few weeks. It also helped to clear my head - take my mind off unpleasant thins that had plagued me. I’d been doing that a lot lately. 

First it was video games – finding escape from reality by diving into fantasy realms and first person shooters, diving headfirst into characters and stories and fanfictions. But one could only play a game so many times before it became boring. From video games I moved on to LARPing. Got really good at it, and then started training in actual swordplay, both modern and medieval. I’d done a little bit previously, having worked for renaissance fairs and realistic LARP fields in the past. After that it was running and kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu. My therapist had told me exercise was great for occupying my time – it kept me healthy and raised the mood, and I had a friend to run fight with. And from running, I’d gotten into hiking after a friend from the gym invited me. I’d always been interested in hiking, attempting small trails here and there, but after the first hike since my sudden fitness kick I was obsessed. It had become my main method of escapism since.

But today wasn’t about running away.

I continued up the trails, making it to as high of the peak I could go. I had called my family a couple days before, alerting them that I’d be staying at the campgrounds for about a week more. They were concerned – everyone was – but I needed this. At least, that’s what I’d kept telling myself. 

I sighed. These were not the thoughts I’d needed right now. I’d come here to resolve my emotions. I’d come here to begin letting go. I shook my head to clear it, focusing instead on the remaining ten minutes of climbing ahead of me. I could do this. I had to be able to do this. 

It took just over what I’d estimated, but I finally made it to the top of the mountain. I looked outward, taking in the sights. It was breathtaking. 

It was perfect.

I smiled and pulled a blanket out of my pack, carefully avoiding the two capsules laid side by side underneath. Those could wait, just a bit longer. For now I’d enjoy this view, and the welcome burning ache in my legs. 

And the air was lovely…

Until it wasn’t.

Suddenly, just as I before I could pull off the rest of my pack, I felt strange, as thought the air around me was crackling. Shit.

Without a second thought I threw my pack fully back on, not even bothering with the blanket as I tore back down the way I’d come. As I ran the sky turned green, nearly making me pause. I’d checked the weather just that morning, and it had promised to be a clear sunny day. Where had all this come from?

The thoughts were quickly torn from my mind as a whistling sound filled the air; I was out of time. I dove quickly to the ground, begging that it would be enough.

Lightning struck, and I screamed, covering my head with my arms. Moments passed, and as I began to unfold, I noticed a hum in the air once more.

Terrified this could only mean more lightning, I quickly rose to bolt once more, only to run just short of the strange green portal that had appeared. 

I stopped so quickly I fell on my ass. Green light was washing over everything, and the hum in the air caused shiver to run down my spine. It was straight out of a video game; a very particular video game. I paused. At this point I was completely delusional, and was debating if I was having another manic episode, even though I hadn’t had one of those in almost a year. 

There was no way a rift would just…appear. What would this even mean for the theory of multiple universes? Steven Hawking was right. I knew it. 

Slowly I stood up, inching closer to the rift that was just ahead of me. The closer I got, the more I could feel the static energy around me. The thought crossed my mind, briefly, to simply jump in. Surely there wasn’t much left for me here anymore. What would it hurt to just go?

But I couldn’t. I, sadly, did not belong in a world like Thedas, as much as my heart would have argued otherwise. My family was still here, and my friends. I couldn’t just leave them behind to wonder what had become of me. I wasn’t that selfish. I began to back away as slowly as I’d approached, carefully adjusting my pack to be more comfortable. However, the action was short lived, as strong beams of green erupted from the rift, grabbing onto me tightly and pulling me abruptly into the fold of the Fade. I didn’t even have time to scream.

I was deposited rudely onto black rocks, whispers and hums alight around me. I turned in time to see the rift I’d come through, my only exit home, close shut – trapping me in what I could only determine was in fact, the Fade. Fear gripped at my heart as the knowledge that I shouldn’t be here permeated my mind. I began to back away without thinking, my fight or flight responses activating double time. As I did however, my feet made contact with something solid, and for the third time that day, I began to fall, scraping my arm in the process. I winced, turning as I did to figure out exactly what I’d fallen over. It hadn’t felt like a rock. What I’d found instead made my stomach churn.

It was definitely not a rock. It was a body. A woman, her large amber eyes frozen in fear, and her delicately pointed ears and graceful Vallaslin marked her as Dalish. She was probably an apostate. Oh god. Was she Lavellan?

Steadying my ragged breathing, I drew to memory a Dalish blessing, results of my being a huge nerd for anything elvish. I carefully closed her eyes, and without thinking, reached to grasp her left hand in my own, in an attempt to send her off in peace. I didn’t realize my mistake until all at once, a searing hot pain shot through my hand, causing me to cry out. By the time I’d managed to wrench my hand away, a small green scar had been branded into my palm. 

I stumbled back, echoes of a familiar scene rising in cacophony around me. Suddenly there were giant spiders crawling from seemingly nowhere, advancing on me at an alarming speed. There was nothing to do but leave the corpse where she lay and run as cries for help resounded in my ears. 

Ahead of me I saw an incline, not too steep for me to climb, and shot towards it, pulling myself upward as quickly as I could manage, gritting my teeth again the screaming ache in my arms. I refused to look behind me for fear of it slowing me down, focusing instead on the figure ahead of me, though as the figure became clearer it slowed me to the point of stopping me in my tracks all together. 

She was glowing. My heart caught in my throat as a single word flashed in my mind; angelic. The golden angel reached out her hand to me, beckoning me closer. I followed her lead, reaching out for her as well, and as our hands connected I was washed in a comforting warmth that pulled me closer.

And then it all faded away.


	2. Wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here goes chapter one to book one.

I woke up confused and unaware of my surroundings, but I knew two things very quickly. The first being that I was chained to the floor and the second was that four guards were standing ready, their swords pointed at me. As reality began to hit me, and panic began to set in, my left hand sparked and glowed, pain flaring up in my palm. I wrenched my eyes shut against the pain, my breathing becoming shallow and fast. I heard a door open and close, though in my panic the sound was muted, as were the footsteps that followed.

 

“Tell me why I shouldn’t just kill you now,” a female voice said, causing my eyes to shoot open at the familiarity of it. Standing before me was Cassandra Pentaghast in all her glory. All her absolutely fucking terrifying glory. “The conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Everyone, except for you.” Her words were met with silence and labored breathing as I was forced to see my reality. I was now playing out the part of Herald in Inquisition – a role I had never imagined as even partially possible.

 

I was pulled back to the present as Cassandra growled and yanked my shackled hands forward, causing the branded mark to flare painfully once more.

 

“Explain _this_!” she demanded, thrusting my hand into view. I noticed that the previously inch-long scar had now grown to nearly three inches. I pulled my gaze away from it and up to Cassandra’s face. Sputtering, I shook my head, trying and failing to find words.

 

“I – I…can’t,” I stated, shaking my head more. “I can’t!” Cassandra paused her stalking around me to stare me down once more.

 

“What do you mean you can’t?” she hissed. I winced away from her rage.

 

“I don’t know!” I replied, “I…” I stopped, wracking my brain. I really didn’t know. I felt like I should know. I knew I wasn’t from this universe, I knew that this universe had previously been a game I was very fond of playing, and I knew that the person standing in front of me was Cassandra Pentaghast, but for the life of my I couldn’t remember how the Herald became the Herald, or how I’d become the Herald in their stead. “I really don’t know,” I whispered, my brow furrowing in confusion.

 

“You’re lying!” she shouted, suddenly storming towards me with her hand raised. All at once long buried memories flooded forward, and I ducked my head under my arms as best as I could, feeling my body tense involuntarily.

 

“Please, I’m sorry!” I cried out, my voice sounding very far away. The strike never came. Instead a hand was placed softly on my shoulder, cause me to cautiously and slowly unfold and glance up at another familiar face – Leliana. She stared patiently as all the thoughts began to race through my mind, and after a long moment, she nodded, asking me to continue. My brain struggled with words for a moment more before finally deciding to work again. “I just don’t understand,” I muttered, looking at my glowing hand.

 

“Do you remember what happened?” Leliana asked. The question was soft and inviting, and though I knew it was just her way of getting the information from me that she needed, I was too tired to fight her. It wasn’t a battle I would win anyway.

 

“I remember…running,” I began, my eyes wandering as I tried to recall to memory what had only just happened. As I tried to recall the events however, it only became harder and harder to understand and remember. “I found a woman, Dalish, and when I touched her, I got this mark. There were things, like…spiders? – chasing me. And then…a woman? Yes a woman, like an angel.”

 

“An angel?” Leliana asked, and out of the corner of my eye I saw her lift her gaze to Cassandra.

 

“Like a beacon of light,” I elaborated. “She reached out to me, but then…” I spent a few moments trying to conjure up more, but that was all I had. “I’m sorry, that’s all I can remember.” I heard a sigh from Cassandra.

 

“Go to the forward camp Leliana, I will take her to the rift,” she said. Leliana nodded, taking her leave. As she exited, Cassandra beckoned for a bundle, handing it to me.

 

“Your current garb is unsuitable for the weather outside,” she explained, unshackling me, “change quickly.” I did as she said, quickly pulling myself into thick leggings that tied at the top, and even thicker boots, much like the kind I used to wear at the Renaissance Festivals I would frequent. As I pulled off my shirt I contemplated the thickness of the fabrics I was pulling on. They had given me three layers to replace my top with, an undershirt, an overshirt, and a vest, all thick materials like the pants had been. They were preparing me for cold weather.

 

Once I was clothed once more, I looked around the room to attempt to regain my bearings. Changing had helped me to calm down, giving me enough time to think, but now I’d have to move again, with a person that too often reminded me of someone I’d rather forget.

 

The guards, while no longer poised to strike, still had their weapons drawn and ready, yet beyond them, I saw my bag. I made towards it, excited that it had survived yet forgetting about the danger until their swords were once again raised towards me, keeping me at bay.

 

“Halt!” Cassandra commanded. I stopped, but was still hesitant.

 

“My things,” I began, glancing back at her, “what will happen to my belongings?”

 

“They will be returned to you if you make it back,” she answered. If, she’d said. Her words settled in my stomach like a mountain. There was a chance that I wouldn’t make it out of this alive. I bowed my head, feeling my eyebrows furrow together as I closed my eyes. Because though there was a high possibility I wouldn’t survive, I had to try to do the best I could anyway. I sighed, resolving then and there to what I knew I had to do.

 

“Then, _when_ I return, I expect not a thing changed in there,” I insisted, looking her dead in the eye. She matched my gaze, nodding, and gestured towards me.

 

“Come,” she said, binding my hands in coarse rope, “it is time you see what has happened.” She began to lead me outside, the rope between us slack. I was immediately bathed in green light that reflected in an otherwise grey-blue sky. The Breach.

 

“We call it the Breach,” Cassandra explained, continuing to walk me through the town. “It’s a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with every passing hour. It’s not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave.” I noticed that she was very careful to no longer accuse me of any crimes. That was good for me, it meant there was still a doubt concerning my guilt.

 

“What explosion did that?” I asked. Though I knew the answer, being confronted with the actual thing was much more daunting. Seeing the large swirling green scar really did beg the question; what on Earth could have been powerful enough to cause _this_?

 

“This one did,” was my answer. Cassandra paused to look up at the rift before continuing. “Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world.” As if to prove her point, the Breach swelled in the sky, causing the mark on my palm to flare with it, pain searing through my skin like a hot iron. I cried out, taking a knee to the ground as I did. Cassandra stopped, crouching next to me, and for the first time since I’d woken up here in this world I’d grown to love, I saw concern in her eyes.

 

“Each time the Breach expands, you mark spreads,” she explained, her face grave, “and it is killing you.” I glanced once more at my palm. The change was minute, but not unnoticeable.

 

I clenched my fist around the mark, desperately willing my breathing to steady itself. Cassandra waited patiently, until I nodded at her.

 

“This,” she began, gently unfolding my palm to reveal the mark once more, “this may be the key to stopping all of this.” Without moving her gaze from the mark she sighed, releasing my hand. “But there isn’t much time.”

 

“This is the key then,” I stated, carefully rubbing the area around the glowing scar. “This is what will close the Breach.” She grimaced.

 

“Whether closing it is even possible is something we shall discover shortly,” she answered, standing and pulling me to my feet. “It is, however, our only chance. And yours.”

 

I stood, silent, letting her words seep in. I was in over my head and a fish mostly out of water. So far everyone I’d met assumed I was Thedasian – likely in attendance to the Conclave. There would be no time to correct this currently however, and now it would seem there was work to be done. I sighed.

 

“I understand,” I said, nodding slowly.

 

“Then…?”

 

“I’ll do what I can,” I clarified, looking up into Cassandra’s eyes once more. “Whatever it takes, however long it takes, I will do everything in my power to fix what has happened here. This I swear to you.” Cassandra’s eyes lit up with pride, and she placed her hand on my shoulder.

 

“I believe you,” she said. She lead me behind her through the town, and I did not miss the people’s angry stares.

 

“It seems then that they’re the ones I must convince of my innocence,” I commented, gazing out into the crowd that was slowly gathering. I could only imagine how many of them were prepared for vigilante justice, or if any attempts on my life had already been made. Cassandra looked around us as well.

 

“They have decided your guilt. They need it,” she said. “The people of Haven mourn out Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peach between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now they are dead.”

 

“And chaos imminent,” I added, looking away from the people of Haven. Cassandra made a noise of agreement as soldiers ahead opened the gate before us.

 

“We lash out, like the sky,” she said, pulling me along, her grip still lax, but firm. “But we must think beyond ourselves as she did until the Breach is sealed.” She turned to me, pulling a dagger from her belt. “There will be a trial. I can promise you nothing more.” She took my hands and cut the rope around them, releasing me. “Come," she said as I rubbed circulation back into my wrists, “it isn’t far.”

 

“What isn’t far?” I asked, following her without thought.

 

“Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach,” she answered, and she turned away without another word, knowing full well I was in unfamiliar territory and had no choice but to follow.

 

And so follow I did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! I will attempt to update this story once a week, however if life gets busy, I will move that every other week, as necessary. I will see you next Friday!


	3. Murphy's Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things typically have to go horribly wrong before they can start going right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this is so late and I'm sorry! I just got super busy with work and life, so I didn't get to post this when I wanted to. I will definitely try to have the next chapter up before too long!

The bridge Cassandra let me across was covered in rubble, crates, and people, clearly reflecting the chaos surrounding it. As we moved through the gate, I heard movement behind me, and turned to see two guards standing watch, both looking absolutely exhausted. It was clear that people were wearing thin. They couldn't keep up with the constant stream of demons and darkspawn - not forever. The more people we passed, the more tired they all looked. It was a perspective missed in the game, I realized, and it made it all the more real the further we got. 

 We passed by more guards, their headgear off, wounded and resting while they could as a Chantry priest recited what sounded like prayers to a group of people around him. Healers and soldiers bustled around us, and I caught out of the corner of my eye a single man, his armor and headgear beside him, curled in on himself as he muttered unintelligible words and rocked back and forth. I tried to make my way towards him, but Cassandra stopped me.

"As much as we may want to help, we cannot help them all right now," she said, with a pitying glance towards the soldier. "We must move forward, and attempt to close the rift." I sighed, looking away from the man and nodding. I reluctantly moved forward, doing my best to focus ahead of me. The person shaped bundles on the ground however, did not escape my attention.  

But the uncovered, bloodied corpse at the far end of the bridge made me stop, frozen and staring wide eyed at the body. It was an action that did not go unnoticed by Cassandra, as she realized I was no longer at her side. She glanced back at me, concern written on her face. 

"What is the matter?" she asked, glancing around to figure out what had caused me to pause to quickly. She followed my horrified gaze to the body ahead, and muttered a curse under her breath. "Is this the first time you have encountered death?" I shook my head to answer her, an action that seemed to surprise her, given my current fear.

"No," I clarified, unable to tear my gaze away, "but it is not bringing up good memories."

 "They never do," she agreed, "but we must hurry if we will be able to make it in time." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, finally nodding and following her once more, carefully ignoring the various corpses along the way and trying my very hardest to not bring up any old ghosts in my memory again. As grim as the idea was, I would have to get used to the vision of carnage that lay ahead. This was a war, and I was in the middle of it. It would never make it easier. 

 We passed through another gate, this one barricaded with spikes, soldiers defending each one we passed. Three men ran past us, one screaming about the end of the world before running full into me. As he got up and ran away the mark on my hand flared up once more, causing burning pain where it scarred into my palm. I grunted and winced against it, willing it to stop as Cassandra pulled me once more to my feet. It would seem it was just a day for falling for me. 

 "The pulses are coming faster now," she informed me gravely. "The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."

 "I said I'd do whatever it takes to end this," I reminded her, "and I meant it. Let's keep moving before we're slowed down again or before my hand decides to flare up again." 

 "Do you even know how you survived?" Cassandra asked as I began walking away. I stopped briefly, and didn't answer her. The answer was, functionally, yes. The details were still fuzzy, but I knew that the exact answer was lodged somewhere up there in my memory. However this wouldn't do to explain it to her at the moment, not answering seemed the correct response. Thankfully she took the silence as a denial of knowledge and continued. "They said you...stepped out of a rift, only to fall unconscious. That a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was." I continued forward once more as she talked, and this time she followed closely beside me as we crossed the second bridge. A wagon to our left burned brightly, serving as an omen of the raging destruction ahead. Something about it sparked a feeling of familiarity within me, but I couldn't quite place why. All the same, I slowed to a near halt as we stepped onto it, tentatively trying to sort my emotions and scattered memories. Cassandra looked back at me, seeing my hesitation.

 "We must keep moving," she said, motioning at me to follow her once more. "Once we cross here it is only a short walk away." 

 "I'm sorry," I answered, my eyes roaming the surrounding area. "but something feels very wrong here." She looked around herself before looking back to me, a look of skepticism on her face.

 "Everything appears to be normal," she pointed out. "Now come, we are losing time." She once again began to move, and I had no choice but to follow her. I was not in a position to protest any further.  

 "Everything farther on has been destroyed, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes," Cassandra said once I began to follow beside her once more. she struggled momentarily to find the words to describe what lay ahead, but sighed as she could find none. "I suppose you'll see it soon enough." 

 There was a hum in the air around me, causing me to look up as Cassandra addressed a passing group of soldiers crossing on the bridge. Flaming green pieces of debris began to rain down around us, and suddenly I knew why it was all familiar. I grabbed Cassandra's arm and began running back the way we came. There wouldn't be enough time. 

 "Brace yourself!" I cried out, looking back as one of the meteors hit the center of the bridge, causing to to collapse and us to tumble down to the frozen river below. I rolled onto my knees, glancing over to to my companion. 

 "Are you alright?" I called to her, my voice tired and strained after having the wind knocked out of me. She coughed, lifting herself up on her elbow and nodded in response. As we stood, she gave me a strange look, but before she could make the decision on just exactly what she wanted to say, another blast hit the ice, this time bearing a demon. It looked like it was made of tar - much more terrifying that it did on a screen. 

 "Stay behind me!" Cassandra shouted, running head on in attack. As she did, however, a second tar monster formed, spotting me almost instantly. I backed up, searching around for any means of weapon, and finally settling on a short sword and shield lying next to the remains of the overturned wagon from the bridge. I dove for the somewhat familiar weapons, clumsily fitting into a stance I had not assumed in a long time, shield out, raising it in just enough time to block the sweeping claws of the demon. God it was quick. 

I managed to toss its arms away, slashing the sword in my right hand upwards from the left, cutting it deep in the chest, stunning the creature. As it shrieked and moved back, stepped forward to meet it and plunged my weapon deep into its core with all the strength I had, muscle memory and adrenaline taking over in a way I didn't think would be possible after so many years.

The demon shrieked and began to melt away, its tar-like body reduced to a bubbling pool of liquid that soon hardening into ash, picked up and carried away by the wind. I took a deep breath as I tried to collect myself, relaxing my stance with my blade pointed towards the ground. There was a small swell of pride in myself. It had been a long time since I'd used any sort of basic medieval combat technique, and I was surprised that it had come back to me so quickly. It would be a short-lived moment, however, as Cassandra stormed towards me, her blade raised and ready for attack. 

"Drop your weapon!" she demanded, her gaze steely and dangerous. " **NOW."** I held up my free hand, meeting her gaze, albeit with much less fire than her own stare. 

"I need you to trust me," I tested. She sneered, unrelenting.

"Give me one reason why I should," she growled in return. As he face became colder I felt all my frustrations well up inside me, bubbling to the surface like the demons we had just slain. 

"Because," I snapped, my own face steeling over in a mirror of her's, "my life is on the line here. I was attacked, you were too preoccupied to save me, I acted. I cannot run around unarmed forever Seeker. Look me in the eyes right now and promise me that won't happen again. That you can assuredly protect me through any situation. Promise me that!" Cassandra grew silent and unmoving, her jaw set stubbornly. I held her gaze for a minute more, before finally sighing in annoyance. "All right, fine, have it your way." I moved to drop the sword and shield, but Cassandra seemed to change her mind.

"Wait," she sighed, lowering her own weapon and refusing to meet my gaze. "You're right. I cannot protect you, and because of that, I cannot expect you to be defenseless." She walked to the shield I had already dropped, picking it up and handing it to me. "I should remember you agreed to come willingly. Please forgive my outburst." I took the shield from her gently.

"Earlier, you said 'we lash out like the sky'," I responded, causing her to look at me once more as I recalled her own words, "but please, do not assign yourself my protector if you are only going to do the same." I saw just the barest hint of a flinch from her as she slowly exhaled. 

"Wise words in chaotic times," she agreed. "I cannot promise you my full trust, but you have proven at least capable of defending yourself." She walked past me, crouching down to grab a satchel from the ground. I didn't want to think of where exactly it came from. She rummaged through it shortly before looting around some more, coming back with a full pack after about five minutes. She held it out to me. "Here, take these potions-Maker knows what we will face. It isn't much, but its all I could find." I took it from her, buckling it around my waist. It held six potions along the belt, all of them resembling liquid aloe vera. 

"Elfroot," she explained when I gave her a questioning glance. "They will offer a bit of healing in moments of desperation. Are you ready?" I looked around, seeing nothing to keep me back any longer. 

"Yes, I think so," I answered. She rolled her shoulders back, nodding. 

"Then let's get moving. We're almost there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I ended up splitting what was originally this chapter in half, so it shouldn't be that much harder to just paste it on for next week. Anyway, hopefully I'll actually get to be on time for the next one. Thank you for reading!


	4. Gather Your Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which new faces are finally introduced, questions are answered, and even more arise.

We'd been walking in relative silence since the outbursts from both of us. Cassandra would occasionally point out when something in the terrain would hinder either of us, but small talk had all but dissolved. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.

 

"So where are you soldiers?" I asked, after realizing that we had been the only people for a while. 

 

"At the forward camp," she called back to me from where she was looting a body. She walked back, handing me a dagger. I carefully tucked it into the top of my boot. "We are on our own for now." 

 

"Are you worried about them?" I asked, as we continued. She hummed, her face thoughtful. 

 

"I have trust in their training," she replied, "but even I know that sometimes that is not enough. Yes, I worry for them." I nodded.

 

"It's good that they have someone that cares enough to worry for them," I told her. "I'm sure they care as deeply for you as you do for them."  

 

We had made a lot of headway, able to defeat three more demons, though this time, not without injury. My shield was broken beyond salvage, and my shoulder was stinging from a frost attack from one on the cliffside. We stopped to rest, and Cassandra had me drink one of the elfroot potions to regain my strength and health. 

 

"I must admit to you that something has been bothering me," Cassandra said as she sat beside me on a fallen tree. I glanced sidelong at her, waiting for her to continue. She took a deep breath. "Back there, at the bridge, you knew what was going to happen. You tried to warn me, and you were right. When you ran, you tried to take me with you and for that I am grateful; not many prisoners would attempt to save their captors. But I need to know now - how did you know the bridge was going to collapse?" 

 

My breath caught in my throat. I knew the answer. But could I tell her that I was from a foreign world? Would she believe that I'd already acted out all the events prior to this by way of adventure story? Would she even comprehend the intricacies of my origins and the technology we had there? I took the time to formulate my answer, and decided that lying to the Seeker would do me no favors, regardless of what might happen to me in the end. 

 

"It came as a...premonition," I began, trying to organize my thoughts into cohesive words. "As we came to the bridge flashes of images - memories - came to me, and I remembered, I've lived this before. I knew what was going to happen to that bridge, and all the people on it." I let the thought sink into Cassandra's head as I paused to once again find the courage to explain the second half of my story. Once I was sure that she at least understood what I was implying, I moved on. "I'm not - I'm not really...I'm not really from here."

 

"Well from where do you hail?" she asked, not quite understanding how that tied into what I was explaining now. 

 

"No I mean I'm not," I paused, waving my hands in a way to both organize my words and to gesture to the scenery around us, "from Thedas. I'm not Thedasian. I come from somewhere else." She raised her brow, waiting to me to clarify. "I'm from another place." I said finally. "Another world." 

 

Cassandra was now openly staring at me, her gaze an intense mixture of confusion and fear. 

 

"What you are saying...how would being from 'another world' give you visions of what is to come?" she asked. "Or is this common place there?" I shook my head, still using my hands as talking aids. I did that quite frequently. 

 

"No, most people do not have visions of the future where I'm from," I clarified, which only puzzled Cassandra more. "I know what will happen because where I'm from, all of this is a story. It's fiction. It's a story based on the choices you make and one decision could change the course of fate itself. It's a story I've enjoyed far too many times to count." My last statement caused the Seeker to stand, her expression now hard to read. 

 

"This is not a  _story_ ," she insisted, "this is reality, here."

 

"And I understand that," I answered, standing with her. "I am not trying to say that this is a story now, I'm not that naive. I'm trying to explain my origins to you." She stared at me for a few minutes, before placing a hand at her hip and the other to massage the bridge of her nose. 

 

"If what you claim is true, how did you get here?" she asked. I shrugged. 

"Look, all I know is that I was hiking, and had been for some time. A storm started up while I was out, and suddenly there was a rift. I got pulled into the Fade, and was pulled out here by some woman," I explained while pacing, my hands moving wildly at this point. 

 

"Alright, so do you know what's going to happen at the end of all of this? What is the outcome of this war?" Cassandra inquired, and I could see her eagerness at stopping this as early as possible. I regretfully shook my head. 

 

"I don't know," I answered. "I mean, I do know, I know that its all here, in my head, but I don't know when or how or why yet. Like with the bridge - it comes to me as visions. Walking through the Fade, it, it scrambled my thoughts up. I know the solution is there, and I know what to do, but not all at once. I can't tell you the very end. I can barely tell you what happens at the Temple. I'm kind of just, going with the flow here. Rolling with the punches. You know. I'm...winging it." Cassandra was now looking at me like I was a madwoman. She opened and closed her mouth as if trying to come up with words to say, but finally gave up with a shake of her head.

 

"Do you have a way to prove to me what you have told me?" she asked. I nodded.

 

"My pack," I answered, "the one I came through with. It has objects in there that will prove to you what I've said." She hesitated for only a moment, and looked up to the scarred sky above us. 

 

"Alright," she said, with a sense of finality. "For now, we don't have time for distrust, and honestly, I believe what you tell me. The sky has torn itself apart today, so I suppose anything is possible." I nodded to her in gratitude. We began moving again shortly after. 

 

We climbed so many stairs I lost count, fighting off demons when we found them. I did not want to think about the number of corpses we passed as well. 

 

"We're getting close to the rift!" Cassandra called down to me as we neared the top of the stairs. "You can hear the fighting."

 

"You're right," I said back to her, "I don't know how else to explain it, but I can feel the rift. We have to help them." We crested the top of the stairs, climbing over a wall to confront the first rift, its green light casting ghostly shadows in the snow. I looked around to gather my bearings, seeing soldiers, Varric, and finally, Solas. Without much thought, I jumped into the fray, at this point moving cohesively with Cassandra until I found myself next to the elvan apostate. 

 

"Quickly, before more come through!" he called, reaching out for my hand. I had already begun to raise it, however, and we met in the middle. 

 

I had no idea how to work the mark besides pressing 'A', but as my hand lifted upwards, I was amazed at how natural it felt. An arc of green shot out to meet the mark, and as soon as it connected my palm began to prickle, and a hum filled the air around me. In all that I'd imagined this would feel like, it was hard to describe the experience. A melody hummed in the air, somehow connected to me and the rift, and it was all I could hear. 

 

With a loud crack, the rift closed, returning the area to an almost eerie silence. I gazed at my palm in wonderment, trying to decipher what it all meant. I looked over to Solas, both for clarification, and in excitement to finally introduce myself, only to notice his strange expression. 

 

His eyes read shock, and more puzzling, recognition. It was as if he knew me already. Almost as well as I knew him. 

 

Before the others could notice, however, it was gone, and I was left to wonder how he knew me at all. I was left, blinking, trying to figure out what question it was I wanted to ask him now. 

 

"What did you  _do_?" I asked as soon as my voice found itself again. He did not miss the double meaning.

 

"I did nothing," he replied. I did not miss his double meaning either. "The credit is all yours." I looked hard at him. He knew that wasn't what I had meant, and yet. His face, however, suggested that we would talk about it later, and so I let the issue drop.

 

"Well," I said, recovering as quickly as I could, "I'm glad this thing can be used for something other than causing me great physical pain." I gently massaged my still prickling palm, careful to go around the scar. Solas frowned.

 

"Are you still in pain now?" he asked, gently examining my palm. 

 

"Not currently no," I answered shaking my head. "Right now my palm is just...tingly." Solas made a noise of affirmation, looking much more relieved. It was nice to know he really did care.

 

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed this mark upon your hand," he said, once he pulled away. "I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have been opened in the wake of the Breach. It would seem I was correct." As he explained, I kept a close eye on him, desperate to know how much of this he had predicted, and how much he had already known. His face remained unreadable. 

 

"So it could close the Breach itself," Cassandra added, her gaze also fixed onto the mage. Solas hummed, nodding in her direction. 

 

"It is possible, yes," he confirmed. He turned his attention back towards me. "It would seem you hold the key to our salvation." There was a chuckle just to the side of us all, and we turned to see Varric, who had been leaning on a wall.

 

"Good to know!" He exclaimed, pushing off the wall and walking toward us. "Here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever!" There was a pause, where Cassandra had begun glaring daggers at the dwarf, and Solas looked away with an exaggerated expression. I smiled.

 

"Well," I began, with a shrug, "you see, my ass and your ass are at two very different points relative towards the ground, so if yours is the default here, I think we're doing just fine." Varric laughed, shaking his head and walking up to me.

 

"Well if that's the case, you might be right," he said, bowing at me. "Varric Tethras; rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwanted tagalong." Cassandra groaned with a scowl and turned away from him. I gave a little laugh at their antics.

 

"It's good to meet you, Varric," I replied, holding out my hand. He took it in his and gave it one firm shake.

 

"You may reconsider that stance in time," Solas interrupted, his voice dry and unamused. 

 

"Aw, come on now," Varric teased, turning towards Solas, "I'm sure we'll become great friends in the Valley Solas. What do you say miss-?"

 

"Arryn," I answered. "My name is Arryn. Thank you for asking." I left out mentioning that he was in fact, the first one to do so. 

 

"Arryn?" he asked, putting the stress on the last syllable as opposed to the first, as I had done. "Hm, what a strange name. I like it!" 

 

"So I closed the rift," I said, refocusing on Cassandra. "What now?"

 

"Now we go to meet Leliana," she answered, sheathing her sword and assessing the damage. The two soldiers had since run of to rejoin the fight elsewhere, so it was now just us four. 

 

"What a great idea!" Varric exclaimed, throwing himself back into relevance. 

 

"Absolutely not!" Cassandra snapped back. "Your help is...appreciated Varric, but..."

 

"Have you been to the Valley lately Seeker?" Varric asked, his eyebrow quirking upward. "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me." With his declaration, Cassandra made a noise of disgust, but argued with him no further. 

 

A quick glance at Solas next to me told me that this was not the first time arguments like these had occurred. 

 

"I am Solas, if there are to be introductions," Solas said with a sigh. He looked to me, and once again I saw that look of recognition in his eyes, seemingly mixed with hope, and a hint of longing. He knew me, and he hoped I knew him too. "I am pleased to see you still live."

 

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept,' I believe," Varric specified, shaking his head as though he'd had to do that quite often already. 

 

"Solas is an apostate," Cassandra added, "he is well-versed in the matters at hand."

 

"Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra. My travels, however, have taught me much about the Fade - far beyond the experiences of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give. If the Breach is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin." I hummed, already aware of his ideals of duty, but I still found myself curious to his current thoughts. 

 

"And what about when this is over? What happens when there's no more Breach to seal?" I inquired. He regarded me with an even gaze, a glint of approval in his eyes. It seemed I had asked all the right questions. 

 

"One hopes that those in power will remember who helped, and who did not." he answered. He held my gaze for a moment longer before turning back to Cassandra. "Cassandra, you should know; the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. I find it difficult to imagine anyone, mage or otherwise, having such power." I felt a quick grip on my heart at the lie, but held my tongue. 

 

"Understood," she said, her composure serious once more. "We must get to the forward camp quickly." They turned to leave without a word, leaving me and Varric to trail behind. He looked up at me with a shrug.

 

"Well, Bianca's excited," he said, hefting up his precious crossbow. I giggled and nodded.

 

"This way!" Cassandra called, a clear annoyance in her voice. "Down the bank. The road up ahead is blocked.

 

"We must move quickly," Solas added. Varric and I looked at each other again, shrugged, and followed the others, climbing over the rubble. 

 

It would seem the real adventure had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so after this I will probably start posting really long chapters? I'm not sure yet. I might break a few of them up here and there, but it's starting to look like these aren't nearly as long as I think they are. I'll try to post again soon.


	5. Time to Save the World (Take 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walking:the fanfiction, a lot of fighting, and perhaps more questions than answers.

We made our way down a steep path, occasional banter making the journey much more manageable. Before much travel at all, more demons were spotted, and Cassandra went over a quick strategic plan with us all, making it almost too easy to take them down. The more we pressed on, the more interesting it was becoming to see the game mechanics come to life, and how easy it was becoming to flow right along with it. 

 

“So I’ve been trying to place your accent,” Varric began, cutting through the silence as he was most prone to do, “you don’t happen to have grown up around drwarves, have you?” I hummed, as though in thought, before pursing my lips and shaking my head.

 

"Can't say I have, sorry," I answered, throwing in a cheeky grin for good measure. 

 

"Don't be sorry they’re terrible people," he said. He paused, musing, before launching back into his investigaton. “Not raised around surface dwarves, and I doubt Orzammar would raise a human. Certainly act like you're from Ferelden, but you definitely don't sound like you are. Hm. This is going to bother me."

 

"Keep trying," I teased, "I'm sure you'll get it eventually." He gave me a sideways glance before he began to chuckle. 

 

"You're on," he said, holding out his hand. As I raised mine to his, the mark reared its ugly head once more, causing me to sharply hiss at the jolt of pain that radiated through my palm. "Shit! Are you alright?"

 

"Fine!" I rasped, gasping for air as I slowly unclenched the fist I had made. "I'm perfectly fine. Never better." There was silence as he stared at me, his expression clearly not believing a word I was saying. "It's not the worst thing I've ever felt. I can handle this." His eyebrows raised at my honestly, but he sat back, allowing the explanation to slide. Solas moved closer to me, taking my hand and observing it. 

 

"My magic cannot stop the mark from growing further," he said, his gaze even and calm as it met my own. "For your sake, I suggest we hurry, before the mark consumes you." I looked down at the snow around me, the cold of the air seemingly seeping into my very bones. I gave a breathy chuckle, which earned me some concerned looks in my direction.

 

"See," I said, nudging Varric, "told you it wasn't that bad." My smile was tired, and his eyes were damning. I looked away.

 

"I know this is difficult, Arryn," Cassandra said, placing her hand on my shoulder, "but we must keep moving."

 

"I know," I replied, placing my right hand over hers. "Thank you." We moved together, making our way up the steep stairs north of the frozen river, Cassandra occasionally offering me a hand up when I was in need of it. 

 

"So," Varric began again, the first time I'd heard him say a word since our exchange earlier, "are you innocent?" 

 

"Would you believe me if I said, 'yes'?" I asked, shooting him a grin. He had the good grace to return it this time.

 

"With friends like mine?" he shot back. "Not a chance."

 

"Ah," I breathed, and I cocked my head to the side with a finger on my chin. I looked around, as though searching for an explanation, before shrugging. "Well if that's the case, I'm sorry to report that I don't remember what happened." Mostly. He grimaced, and whistled low, shaking his head.

 

"Amnesia. That'll get you every time," he said. "You should have a spun a story." 

 

"That's what you would have done," Cassandra accused, glaring at Varric. It made me really want to know what he told her during their interrogation about Hawke. Varric shrugged. 

 

"It's more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution," he answered, as though his reasoning were obvious. 

 

"Let's be real though," I started, musing out loud, "I wouldn't have been able to spin anything that would have even been remotely believable, and then I would be in even deeper shit than I'm in right now. At least currently, since I really,  _really_ , don't remember what actually happened, there's at least still a question of my innocence. Because I told the truth, I survived this far, and now we have even more evidence that I wasn't involved in any way except by unfortunate terrible coincidence. And honestly, I think I'm happy with those results."

 

I stopped, as I realized that everyone else had paused during my ramblings, and turned to find the three of them staring at me with different expressions. Cassandra simply seemed confused, I assumed it was due to my tendency to talk faster when I rambled. Solas was amused. And Varric was outright laughing.

 

"Kid," Varric began, wiping tears from his eyes, "I don't think I have ever heard a more thorough, convoluted argument for the truth in my life. I like you."

 

As I was about to reply, Cassandra held up her hand. There were yet more demons. I was getting tired. In the game, time seemed to go by so much faster, and there was less urgency to get to the Temple (so as to accommodate for those of us who are expert looters). This wasn't just a game anymore, this was real, and here my limbs were getting sore from the constant exercise, and my mind was clouding with fear and memories that I had to continuously push down on. I refused to get distracted by my own brain. People were counting on me and there was no room for myself just yet.

 

"I hope Leliana made it through this," Cassandra said, re-sheathing her sword and looking to the path ahead. Varric gave a short pat on her arm. 

 

"She's resourcful, Seeker," he assured her with a nod. She looked back out to the path again, worry clear on her face, before sighing and nodding back. 

 

"We will see for ourselves at the forward camp," Solas said, cutting through the moment with reality. "We're almost there."

 

There was, of course, another rift. Shouts from soldiers pushed against the gate rang in my ears as I pushed past demons and fighting, raising my hand to the rift like I had before. Then there it was again. The humming melody that took over everything around me, the Anchor acting as a missing instrument that completed the symphony. But underneath it now, was pain. A sharp stinging in my palm, reminding me of the time I grabbed the curling iron from the wrong end. It hurt, but I couldn't pull my hand away until the rift was sealed once again. So I endured, leaning into the melody as though there was nothing else, pouring the intent of closure into the mark and weaving the rift back together like a seam. 

 

After what felt to me like an eternity, I felt the echoing boom that signaled yet another closed rift. I sat blinking for a moment, to reacquaint myself with the real world around me. I was startled by a hand on my shoulder, and looked up to see Solas. 

 

"We are clear for the moment," he said in a soothing tone. He must have noticed my confusion. His words helped to chase away the rest of the strange song still rattling around my head. "Well done." He gave a short, almost imperceptible nod. 

 

"Whatever that thing on your hand is, its useful," Varric added as they beckoned me forward. I realized then that the gates had opened, and we were here. We'd made it to the Forward Camp at last. 

 

We arrived to an orderly chaos. Soldiers marched off to fight elsewhere, Chantry mothers and clerics were praying over the lost, and those not quite there yet, and in the midst of it all, a rather loud argument. 

 

"We must prepare the soldiers!" Leliana demanded, though it seemed to fall to deaf ears.

 

"We will do no such thing," a male voice argued, much to the annoyance of the spymaster. 

 

"The prisoner must get to the Temple! It is our only chance!" she countered, the stress clear in her voice. She was getting antsy, and even from this far away, I could see the quiet storm that was building under her exterior.

 

"You have already caused enough trouble-"

 

"Oh I have caused trouble!?"

 

"- _without_ _resorting to this exercise in futility_ _!_ Haven't you done enough already?" 

 

"You're not in command here," Leliana replied, her voice cold and steady. 

 

"Enough!" the Chancellor cried, turning sharply to face her. "I will not have this!" He looked like an unpleasant man to be around, with an all-knowing sneer plastered on his face. His eyes roamed before catching mine, and his sneer turned smug. "Ah, here they come." Leliana turned, and her shoulders relaxed in relief. 

 

 "You made it!" she breathed, the statement coming out like a prayer. She straightened herself quickly. "Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

 

"I know who she is," he interrupted, his voice cutting through her calm and collected words. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution!" I took a step back, weary of his intentions and afraid someone would enact them. Cassandra put her hand on my shoulder to stop me, reassurance in her eyes. The second she looked away however, her face changed to one of insult and anger. 

 

"Order me?" she began, stepping forward to the Chancellor, her shoulders back and head help high in a challenge. "You are nothing but a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!" Roderick leaned away from her, shock in his eyes. He quickly registered her insult, and leaned back towards her with force.

 

"And you," he replied, standing from his seat and wagging his finger, "are a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!" 

 

" _We_ serve the most holy," Leliana corrected, "a fact you well know."

 

"Justinia is dead!" Roderick shouted, and his explosion caused many on the bridge to pause, turning their attention to the man. There was a moment of pregnant silence, before all turned back to their business, and leaving us to ours. Roderick sighed, obviously irritated that he was not getting his way as easily as he'd hoped. "We must elect a replacement, and obey  _her_ orders on the matter." I looked between the three of them, a lump forming in my throat as they all began to open their mouths again. All this fighting was making my head spin in an unpleasant way. I was damn near done with all this foolish business.

 

" **Enough**!" I cried, causing them all to turn their attention to me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "It is clear that there is no one in charge here, and I'm tiring of being talked about like I'm not here." The Chancellor opened his mouth to protest, but at the glare I shot in his direction, he closed it instantly. "Isn't closing the Breach the more pressing issue?"

 

"An issue that  **you** brought on us in the first place!" Roderick said, finding the courage to speak up once more. I raised up, aggravated at his continued efforts to make my life difficult.

 

"An accusation that  **you** seem rather sure of Chancellor," I accused, my glare cold and unforgiving. "And what evidence do you have of my guilt? Or do you plan on executing me without the right to a fair trial?" The man's face when pale as paper at the attention that my accusations brough him. He sputtered and huffed for a few minutes, desperate to throw the eyes of those around him onto something, anything, but himself. 

 

"Call for a retreat Seeker!" he stuttered finally, his attention focusing on Cassandra. "Our position here is hopeless." 

 

"We can stop this before it's too late," she argued, her tone determined. "We must get to the temple. It's the quickest route."

 

"How?" Roderick asked, "You won't survive long enough to reach it, even with all of your soldiers."

 

"As it pains me to say it, the Chancellor is right," Leliana said. Roderick looked pleased with himself. "It may be the quickest, but not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." 

 

"That is not what I meant!" The Chancellor's frustrated cries were, thankfully, ignored. 

 

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path," Cassandra argued. "It's too risky."

 

"Listen to me!" Roderick pleaded. "Abandon this now, before more lives are lost." As they argued, each trying to outmaneuver the other, the Breach expanded, causing my hand to jolt and spark once more. This one was less severe than the others, but still caused me to gasp in pain. All three of them turned their attention to me as I massaged my palm. 

 

"How do  _you_ think we should proceed?" Cassandra asked once I'd regained my composure.

 

The question surprised me. So far, I was not used to anyone thinking to ask my opinion. I fought down a sarcastic remark. For now. 

 

"A charge would ensure my arrival, with soldiers guarding me," I began with a sigh, thinking aloud as I began to pace. It always helped me think better. "But there is a possibility of it taking longer, as its more guarded by demons. The mountain path is indirect, and perhaps longer, but longer does not always mean slower, so it might be the quicker way." I sighed again, running a hand through my hair. "Either way, causalities are inevitable, and there is no assurance that the mark won't kill me before I get there." I paused, spending more time thinking of what I could do. I'd tried both options in game, but this was reality now, and more was at stake. But still, there was always one option I chose more than the other, and I was never one to leave a man behind. If I wasn't killed by demons, I knew I'd get to the Breach either way. 

 

"We use the mountain path," I declared, my decision made. "It may be indirect, and uncertain, but I refuse to leave men behind. We must work together. You all know what's at stake here." Cassandra sighed, but I could see some part of her agreed with me. 

 

"Leliana," she said, her mind already working out a plan to make this all work, "bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." Leliana nodded, and off she went. Roderick watched her go before focusing once again on Cassandra.

 

"On your head be the consequences, Seeker," he seethed, stepping back to let us through. Cassandra had already passed by, but she paused, and from behind her I could see her shoulders tense. She only stood like that for a second, before she motioned us forward again. Varric and I shared a look, confirming that we'd both seen the change in her posture, but he shook his head and focused ahead. 

 

We climbed up a snowy incline, where I once again could feel the bitter bite  of the cold. I looked ahead to see many platforms and ladders, many covered with varying degrees of snow and ice. 

 

"Is now a bad time to mention my absolute lack of grace and coordination?" I asked, eyeing the structure warily. Varric laughed. 

 

"Little bit," he answered. We all began to climb, with me taking care to not slip and fall to my untimely death, and when we had ascended the majority of the platforms, I was proud that I had only stumbled once. 

 

"The tunnel should be just ahead," Cassandra explained as I reached down a hand to help Varric up the last few rungs. He grumbled something about ladders not being made with dwarves in mind. "The path to the temple lies just beyond it." She looked forward up the path, unencumbered by the steep climb or the cold. It was disgusting and rude. 

 

"What manner of tunnel is this?" Solas asked, also unfazed by the physical exertion and extreme weather, also rude. There was curiosity in his tone. "Is it a mine?" Cassandra nodded.

 

"It's part of an old mining complex, yes," she affirmed, "These mountains are full of such paths."

 

"And your missing soldiers are in there somewhere?" Varric asked as he dusted himself off, looking ahead to what else we had to get through. 

 

"We shall see soon enough," Cassandra stated, effectively ending the conversation. 

 

We climbed two more ladders before encountering more demons at the mouth of the tunnel. My exhaustion became apparent after a few close calls, and soon the others became focused on both guarding me and attacking what was ahead. I was halfway between feeling useless and being grateful that my lack of official training was being accommodated for. With the demons gone, we ventured into the tunnels, exploring the rooms for soldiers, demons, or loot. I had found and quickly equipped a belt pouch, which I was slowly filling with loose coins and some herbs Solas had pointed out to me. Every now and again, when silence became troublesome, I would hum some tune or song that I remembered, just to help it all pass by faster. 

 

Soon we found the exit, and of course, more demons, but even more worrying, bodies - all in Chantry armor. 

 

"Guess we found the soldiers," Varric said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. Cassandra stood by, with an odd expression on her face before she shook her head. 

 

"No," she said with determination, "this cannot possibly be all of them. I know standard scouting parties are at least six people." 

 

"So the others could be holed up ahead," Varric agreed after a moment of processing her conviction. She nodded in agreement with him.

 

"Our priority must be the Breach," Solas interjected. "Unless we seal it soon, no one is safe."

 

"Hey, I'm leaving that to the woman with the glowing hand," Varric quipped, gesturing to me. I looked down at my palm and it's distant glow.

 

"He's not wrong," I said with a shrug. "Besides, I have this feeling...I can't really describe it. Call it intuition, but I bet we'll find our missing squad along the way to the Breach." I followed after Cassandra, confident in my strange other sense. It hadn't led me astray so far. I heard Solas hum as he followed behind. Perhaps this was one more thing I could bring up with him when the time came. 

 

There was fighting up ahead. Loud fighting. Cassandra turned towards us before taking off towards the commotion. We all followed. 

 

"Lady Cassandra!" a soldier called, looking towards us. 

 

"You're alive!" she answered, a small degree of relief seeping into her words. The soldier blocked an attack and returned with one of her own. 

 

"Just barely," she said. We joined the fight, with Solas, Varric, and Cassandra covering me as I got in range to the rift ahead, once again connecting to it, letting its song wash over me another time. With a loud pop, it sealed tight, and whatever demons remained burnt away to ash, or were slain. 

 

"Sealed, as before," Solas said, observing the area where the rift had once been. He turned to me, approval on his face. "You are becoming quiet proficient at this."

 

"Well let's hope it works on the big one," Varric added. 

 

"That's all we can do I suppose," I said as Cassandra moved to the small scouting party that remained. 

 

"Thank the Maker you finally arrived, Lady Cassandra," she said, as her remaining scouts nodded in agreement. 

 

"I doubt we could have held out for much longer if you hadn't," another said. Cassandra nodded to the group before gesturing towards me.

 

"Don't thank me Lieutenant," she said, "she's the one that insisted we come this way."

 

"The prisoner?" she asked, looking towards me. "Then you...?" I held up my hand to stop her. 

 

"Don't worry about it. It was worth saving you," I said. There was no need to highlight what I was risking, or what everyone believed I was risking.

 

"Then you have my sincere gratitude," she said, clasping her fist to her shoulder with a bow. The rest of the soldiers quickly followed suit, but I became more focused on the lieutenants slight grimace at the sudden contact inflicted on herself. 

 

“You’re wounded,” I stated, getting close to the woman and noticing some blood seeping through her leather armor at the shoulder. 

 

“Truly it’s nothing,” she insisted, though the since as she moved her arm back down told otherwise. 

 

“Bullshit,” I said, and she jumped at the sudden vulgarity. I sighed. “What’s your name?” The lieutenant seems more startled by my question then by my cursing, but she answered nonetheless. 

 

“Mariam, lady Herald,” she answered apprehensively. “My name is Mariam.” I nodded carefully as I began to pull an elfroot and a lyrium potion from my belt, holding them out to her without hesitation. 

 

“Solas I realize you probably aren’t a mage specializing in healing, but could you do enough to stop her bleeding at least?” He nodded and turned to Mariam.

 

”Only if the Lieutenant would be comfortable,” he added. Mariam shook her head. 

 

“No,” she began, “no, my Lady, I must insist you keep these potions and conserve your energy! Surely your fight is much more important and would require you use these!” I looked at her rather pointedly with a slight frustration. 

 

“Now you listen to me,” I started, causing her to jump at attention. I sighed quietly, realizing how I must sound at the moment. I softened my words and my face before I continued on. “At ease. But please listen. We are all parts of a whole body, are we not? You are just as important to this fight as I am, as anyone is. We’re marching straight for the Breach, and I need all hands on deck here. So please, take these two potions, let Solas here heal you, and continue on to fight for your homes, and for yourselves. That would be more help to me than you forcing me to hold onto these. Will you do that for me please?” Mariam considered my words with starry eyes, as did the rest of her company. Finally she nodded, and Solas sat her down carefully to do minimal healing. I supervised her taking the potions offered to her, and soon she was up again, slowly moving her shoulder to test its mobility. She turned to me quietly and once again offered her salute. 

 

“With your leave, we will rejoin the fight where we’re needed,” she said with conviction. Cassandra instructed them to their next course of action, and then they were gone. 

 

“Well spoken,” Varric said, patting my arm. I smiled at him, carefully finding my way to a rock so I could sit. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, I realized I was quite exhausted. I rested my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, closing my eyes slowly and trying to not fall asleep.

 

“Are you alright?” Cassandra asked, and from how close she sounded I could conclude she was kneeling beside me. I nodded without looking up, breathing heavily. 

 

“Yeah, sorry,” I answered. “It’s just, closing these rifts like this, and moving around like we are, and constant fighting...I wasn’t built for this. It’s exhausting.” I took a deep breath to steady myself. “I’m sorry, I just need a small break is all. It feels like I’ve run a marathon.” 

 

“We cannot take long, but go ahead and rest for a moment,” Cassandra agreed. “I will not lie, I could tell you had not had formal training. Is this kind of training not common where you are from?” I let out a dry laugh at the question. 

 

“Not even a little bit,” I answered. Varric perked up as though hoping to get more of my origin, but I offered him nothing. Solas offered me his water skin, and i gratefully took it. 

 

Hydrated, somewhat rested, and short for time, I stood slowly, testing my balance on aching legs. Once I was sure I wouldn’t immediately fall over, I nodded to Cassandra. 

 

“Alright,” I said, rolling my shoulders back, “let’s go save the world, I guess.” Varric laughed, and even Solas chuckled, and as we moved on again, I tried to ignore the settling dread that pooled in my stomach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took longer than expected. But more will be coming, at a pace that I can manage. Next time, the Breach, or at least the part we can get to.


	6. Back to the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A secret revealed, a lot of concern, and a very very long day.

I stumbled along in silence, accepting help from Cassandra when offered as I made clumsy descent after clumsy descent back into the valley of the temple, attempting to ignore the worries looks given around me as I fought off my own height of culminated exhaustion to reach our end goal. My arms hurt, my legs hurt more, my heart was racing, and I was feeling the beginnings of a migraine forming behind my right eye, but I would not stop for pity. I was always too stubborn for that and too much was at stake. 

 

 It was, naturally, Varric that once again broke the silence, likely trying to cut through the static tension. 

 

 "Look," he said as I tuned back in, catching the quick glare that Cassandra threw in his direction, "all I'm saying here is there are easier ways to make things explode."

 

"Oh, is there?" Cassandra challenged. Varric held up his hands, his eyes both mischievous and insulted. 

 

"Hey,  _I_ never blew anything up," he argued as Cassandra turned back to the path ahead. She grunted in response.

 

"Regardless, we will consider  _how_ this happened once the immediate danger has passed," she said, and that was that. I gave Varric a quick pat on the back as she scouted forward, causing him to turn and look at me. What had started as a sarcastic smile slowly turned into a frown as his brow furrowed in concern. 

 

"Maker, kid," he declared, turning his full attention to me. "Are you alright?" I was suddenly very interested in the small patch of frost next to my right foot.

 

"I'm fine," I said with a shrug, though my statement of wellbeing fell apart as I winced hard when my palm began to crackle with energy once more. I clenched my fist and hissed and silently wished for it to stop. When it finally did I sighed in relief. 

 

"Arryn, if you must rest, you should," Solas offered, stopping beside me. 

 

"We don't have time," I argued, and before Solas could say anything back, Cassandra had returned. 

 

"We're here," she stated simply, leading the way. I gave a pointed look to both Solas and Varric. 

 

"As I said, no time," I reiterated. "Let's go." The two shared a glance, but Varric sighed and followed close by me. I knew he would be watching me like a hawk. I tried not to think about it. 

 

If Cassandra was going to tell me about the disaster that happened here originally, she quickly decided against it as I walked by her, my face set with grim determination. Maybe she no longer felt the need for useless exposition now that I could obviously see it, or maybe she picked up on the worried faces of the other two in our party. Either way I was grateful for her silence as I took in the desolation before me. 

 

Rubble lay everywhere, and, in its midst, corpses were frozen in time; petrified in place by the otherworldly explosion that took their lives, their eyes still glowing with the Fade Fire that consumed them. I looked towards Solas, and as our eyes met, I saw pain and regret peak out from behind his carefully neutral mask. 

 

"All these people," Cassandra breathed, her voice shaking with so many emotions, it was hard to give names to them all. I closed my eyes, forcing my shaking breath to even out once again. I could not break here. I had to keep going.

 

"May they walk softly to their own paradise," I whispered as quiet as I could. I rolled back my shoulders and looked forward. It was time. "Let's go." I walked forward with purpose toward the temple, and then, there it was. 

 

The rift was massive. Locked in suspension above us, its glow swirled around like the current of a river as the crystals inside it shifted and clicked and groaned mechanically. I shuddered as a feeling of wrongness waved over me. This ground knew that it wasn't right, and it ached to be clean once more. My headache was getting worse again. 

 

There were footsteps behind us, and I turned to see Leliana guiding scouts behind her. She ran forward to Cassandra.

 

"You're here!" she called, grabbing the Seeker's hand. "Thank the Maker you're safe." Cassandra nodded once, and gestured to the troops Leliana had brought.

 

"Have your troops take up positions around the temple," she advised. "And send word to the Commander - he would do best with a forward approach."

 

"I'm sure he'd agree," Leliana added. "Be safe." She moved back, already motioning to her scouts to set up the tactical positions around us. I watched all the movement around me, as everyone that was able begin to fill in, taking positions around us. There were...a lot more people than were originally portrayed. It was strange, and a little overwhelming. 

 

“Arryn.”

 

I was startled out of my thoughts by Cassandra, who was waiting patiently with Varric and Solas. I set my face into a look of determination and nodded. 

 

“As ready as I can be,” I answered, and I ignored the part of my brain that suddenly remembered I died on this fight during my first play-through of the game. I died three times. I’d only get one chance here. “I’ll do the best I can.” Cassandra nodded back, leading in the direction Leliana had gone. 

 

As I walked forward and looked around I began to see how the rift bled into the temple as we walked, taking in the jagged and broken stone glowing with green veins that the Fade had etched into it walls - likely forever. 

 

**_Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice._ **

 

The echoes had begun. 

 

Those around us whispered and shifted with unease, trying to make sense of what they had just heard. I was more concerned with the spiking pain behind my eye that flared up the moment - the moment this guy...what was he called?? That would bother me - the moment what’s-his-name’s voice bounced off the stone. I rubbed the heel of my palm into my forehead, hoping to chase away the pain as Cassandra asked what everyone was thinking. 

 

“-red lyrium Seeker,” Varric warned. I had missed what was said before that, but I knew there was red lyrium. I knew how it got there, I knew what it did, and I knew that shoved one of Leliana’s arrows into my eye socket would be less painful and a mercy to my sanity. 

 

_**Keep the sacrifice still!** _

 

I winced as  _that voice_ echoed in my head again. I knew who it was, knew what it wanted - the name was there at the tip of my tongue but every time his fucking voice got in my head again it floated away just out of reach.

 

_**What’s going on here?** _

 

 

I was pulled from my rabbit hole by a quiet female voice. It must have been poor Lavellan. 

 

“Arryn,” Cassandra began, looking at me, “you weren’t there?” I groaned. 

 

“Cassandra, I told you,” I answered, not looking up as I combatted this worsening migraine, “I was hiking when I got pulled through. Lavellan was dead in the Fade before I even stepped into Thedas.” I raised my left, glowing palm and finally braved looking up. “I inherited this. I can only guess someone needed to finish the narrative.”

 

”What exactly do you mean by ‘stepped into Thedas’?” Varric asked, leaning forward and crossing his arms. “If you weren’t here, where were you?”

 

”Lavellan? Is that who we heard? How do you know her?” Cassandra demanded over him. I sighed. Fucking headache. 

 

“Shit,” I hissed, pinching the bridge of my nose. 

 

“Care to share with the class?” Varric inquired calmly. A quick glance between them showed Solas looking at me intently as well, and I groaned again. 

 

“I’m not from here,” I said, waving my hands around us. “From Thedas.”

 

”She claims to be from another world,” Cassandra interrupted, and I gestured my hand towards her with a grumbled ‘what she said.’ “And after what I’ve seen with her today, I’m inclined to believe her.”

 

”Another world?” Solas murmured, and I could see the gears turning in his head. “It could be possible - a world adjacent to ours. There are perhaps memories I’ve seen in the Fade that could suggest this, but I’d only ever perceived it as fantasy.”

 

”Yeah, you’re telling me,” I mumbled to no one in particular. 

 

“Alright, so a stranger from Another World shows up in Thedas with a glowing hand,” Varric proclaimed. He stared me down. “How did you here then?” 

 

“A rift. A rift appeared and I got sucked straight into the Fade. Nothing else for it. I kept running until I was pulled out here by...by someone. That part’s a little hazy. The amnesia is actually super annoying because it’s all  _there_ but it’s not there at all. Ugh, I’d explain the fine details, but we have a Breach to close.” I pushed myself forward, attempting to move closer to our end goal. 

 

“Your accent isn’t from being raised around dwarves,” Varric accused, and I paused once again. “Your accent isn’t from here at all.” I shrugged. 

 

“Afraid not,” I admitted. “There’s really not an equivalent for it here, actually. Sorry for letting you make a bet you’d surely lose.” Varric stared me down for a moment, his eyes searching - though for what I couldn’t tell. Finally he chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. 

 

“Eh, no harm done,” he assured me. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” He offered me his arm down to the Breach, and I smiled wanly as I excepted. If he noticed how badly I was shaking, he didn’t mention it. 

 

The humming filled my head like a nest of angry bees, and I fought tears out of the corners of my eyes. I hadn’t expected it to hit me full force the moment I stepped down to it. It was like the song I heard from rifts, but muted and stronger and fundamentally Different. My palm prickled to life as I came in closer proximity to what was now above us. Solas stepped forward, examining what was before us. 

 

“This rift is closed, but not sealed,” he concluded. “I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened and resealed properly and safely, like those before it.”

 

”And attract attention from the other side, right?” I added as pieces began to come together. He nodded slowly, affirming my suspicions. 

 

“That means demons,” Cassandra elaborated for us, calling out to those in positions surrounding us. “Stand ready!” A light bulb lit up in my brain. 

 

“One really big one in particular,” I warned. “It’ll be nearly impossible to hit, so be careful.” I glanced back at Cassandra as I preemptively massaged my palm. “This rift is going to take time and concentration to close. I need you to have my back.”

 

”We’ll keep you safe,” she promised. “Do what you must.” She with the others to flank me, and I took a deep breath. This was going to  _hurt_ and I wasn’t excited about it. I raised my hand, determined and focused, moving it like I was undoing a zipper. As I did the air crackled and hummed to life. It swelled all around and settled like a humid heat, until finally, there was a great crack, and out stepped a giant creature that I never thought I’d see in the flesh: a demon.

 

”Keep it off me!” I cried, surprising myself as I surged forward. “You won’t be able to even hit it until I disrupt the rift!”

 

”Go!” Cassandra instructed. “We can handle this!”

 

Sounds of fighting swelled around me as more demons filled the arena that was the temple, but I forced all my focus onto the song that filled my ears as I connected to the rift and the Fade. This one was different. It sounded dull, like I was listening to it while underwater, and it tugged painfully at my hand as I struggled to close it. It filled my head with cotton, and I wasn’t sure that I could hold on like this. The rift snapped away from me, and I cried out in pain clutching my hand. 

 

I couldnt give up. 

 

I met it again, desperately trying to seal it like I had all the others before it. If I knew what it was I was supposed to be doing exactly, I could probably do this faster, but all I had was a basic idea of a concept. If all I could do was will it to close, then that’s what I would do, and I’d do it well. But I was faltering, and my connection was wavering, and I didn’t notice the dark figure coming at me as I staggered until it was far too late, the demon scraping my shoulder with its claws before I could defend myself. An arrow shot through its neck before any more damage could be done, and as it dissolved away into nothing at my feet, I connected one last time to the rift, pushing past all my pain and exhaustion. I  **would** close this. I had to do this. The sounds around me dulled, and I was vaguely aware of something thick and somewhat liquid tickling my lip as it ran down from my nose, but I pulled at the rift as hard as I could, disregarding any discomfort the act was causing me. 

 

At last, it snapped shut, and it felt like my ears had finally popped after hours of being sick. I lurched to my knees, breathing heavily, exhausted and no longer able to stand. My vision wavered as I leaned forward on my hands, trying to still my heart. My shoulder hurt. 

 

“-ryn?” 

 

 I looked up as a voice cut through the ringing in my ears and saw Cassandra kneeling in front of me, her face showing clear worry. She wasn’t the only one - Varric was close beside her. Spots clouded my vision as I saw her mouth something to me - ‘alright?’? - and I couldn’t hold on anymore. I fell forward into her, and despite the commotion that followed, I let sleep take me. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels good to be updating this. Work has been crazy, and likely won’t stop soon, so I’ll update when I can.

**Author's Note:**

> I will post both the prologue and the first chapter, so here comes chapter 1 right away!


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